Holiday 2019 Hairstyling by Benita Blocker

Press, Curl, and Cut by Benita Blocker, hair artist

Relaxed hair Blow-dry and styling by Benita Blocker, hair artist

Natural hair roller set by Benita Blocker, hair artist.

Happy Holidays 2019 to the Applebaum Beauty family!

2018 - Hair Relaxers Still Work!

Hair by Benita Blocker

My client has been relaxed for years.  Roller sets keep it healthy.

Hair by Benita Blocker

My client has been relaxed for years.  Purple Flexi- rod sets keep it healthy.

Hair by Benita Blocker

My client has been relaxed for years.  Flat Wrap keeps it healthy.

Many women continued with their relaxer services in spite of the natural hair movement.  The key was staying away from the hot irons and flat irons.  So if you are natural, then those hot irons and flat irons can eventually lead to breakage and shedding.  The key is less heat with or without the chemical.  It is that simple.

Lottabody Ready to Use Setting Lotion

Lotta Body Texturizing Setting lotion has been around for a long time, but I just realized that Walmart stores sell this "Ready to use" Original Formula for about $3.00 USD.    There is no mixing.  You can just pour into a spray bottle, and it is literally ready to use.

Sally Beauty Supply stores carry a concentrated formula of the Lotta Body.  It is designed to be diluted to your desired firmness or softness.  The packaging is different than this "ready to use" version.

The ingredients in the "ready to use" version includes Lanolin which is an old school ingredient that helped to reduce hair breakage.

Those who want to roller set at home yourself may like the shine and firmness of this texturizing setting lotion. I have one client that prefers this ready to use version, and I was impressed by it! I will not submit to using it for everyone because I do prefer a salon exclusive type of brand like the Vitale Pro 3 in 1 Design Lotion which is also ready to use from the bottle. However, for you DIYers who need to grab a setting lotion on the go - should try this one!

Roller Sets Still Rule in 2014

 Hair By Benita Blocker. Applebaum Salon.  December 2013/January 2014.  New Year's Eve Roller Set!

• Vitale Pro High Comfort Relaxer touch-up -Check!
• Trim- Check!
• Nairobi Setting Lotion and Nairobi Foam - Check!
• Red Mesh Roller Set - Check!
• One hour dryer time - Check!

There are no hair extensions.  Color highlights completed by Master Hairstylist Benita Blocker on a separate visit.

Wet sets/Roller sets rule for relaxed tresses!

A Successful Virgin Relaxer Service

 So at age 12, my client was ready for straight hair on a permanent basis. It was time for her first relaxer.  I prepared for the virgin relaxer procedure.  I draped her with a fabric chemical cape.  I lined her shoulders with Glad Press N' Seal and connected it in the front like an additional drape.

I selected Affirm Normal and Affirm Mild as my relaxer systems mainly because they work without the burning.  I used the Normal strength to go through the midshaft through the ends.  I then went back to the roots and applied the Mild strength.  Initially, I put a 2 inch guide of relaxer throughout the hair about an inch or inch and a half away from the scalp to allow me to go through a second pass to get from my relaxer guide down the mid-shaft and all the way through the ends.  The roots and hairline were covered at my third pass through the hair.  I completed the first and second passes within 20 minutes. The product was very heavy on the hair.  I had to gently fight to get the hair parted to evenly distribute Mild relaxer to the remaining roots, but we successfully completed the full virgin relaxer application and smoothing within 35 minutes.  The salon temperature was cool.  The length was extremely long. Medium length hair will have taken less time.

In a separate article, I discussed lining my relaxer bowls to make less work for me to clean up.

We had shampooed, blow dried and french braided her hair three days prior to the virgin relaxer.  The Press N'Seal wrap stayed in place to protect the cape from getting chemical all over it.  I had to snap the picture quickly so I had a paper towel in my hand that accidently got into the picture above, but you can see how long the relaxed hair stretched to.   I then unloosed the Press N'Seal drape in the front and gathered it up with her relaxer coated hair enclosed.  I laid her hair bundle into the shampoo bowl then I gentled peeled the Press N'Seal wrap from out of the shampoo bowl and began a long, long rinse.  I blotted dry and checked the whole head, cleared the shampoo bowl neck area and then rinsed some more.  I did three shampoos with the final shampoo being towel blotted and completed with her seated upright.  The towel blot before the final Affirm normalizing shampoo made a difference.  The lather was completely white.  The first two shampoos seemed to still yield some faint pink lather.  It was definitely squeaky clean by the third shampoo.  I conditioned and color bathed the hair under the dryer for about 15 minutes.

The roots were less straight than the midshaft, but straight enough and  they can be easily taken care of at the next relaxer touch-up service.  All of the hair was straight enough for me to roll with the gray magnetic rollers.  Dryer time is about 1.5 hours.

 I did go in and straighten the roots a little more with the marcel irons, and we did "trim" the hair.  At age 12, she did not need a blunt cut.

Successful virgin relaxer service by Benita Blocker.  My client received a "First Relaxer" certificate from me with my Applebaum logo.

Vertical Roller Set

Hair by Benita Blocker.  My client and I took a trip to Pinkberry (Frozen Yogurt Shop) after finishing her hair.  She has a type 4a/b curl pattern.  She receives Regular strength True Indulgence relaxer touch-ups about every 9 weeks.  We used the teal/green magnetic rollers all over.  All rollers were directed toward the back of the head.  The setting agents were a combination of Nairobi "custom mixed" setting lotion and Nairobi Foam.  Her set starts out as a slightly tight curly bob, then the curls fall loose throughout the day.

Once the hair is dry.  There is no combing. The client just finger styles the spiral curls as she sees fit.  She rolls her hair each night to maintain the spiral curls. This was her third relaxer touchup with me.  In previous touchup appointments, we have used small flexi-rods for her wet sets.  We also used Sebastian Deep Brunette Cellophane semi-permanent hair color around the front hairline root only for some gray coverage.